Lily Tamer
by Scribing Lizard
Summary: It's their last year of Hogwarts and Lily Evans cannot stand devilish James Potter. He is completely in love with her, but can he ever persuade her to look past his bad boy reputation long enough to give him a chance?
1. Private Thoughts in Potions

James stared longingly at Lily from across the room. Her red, silky hair spilled down her back, and at that moment he longed to run his fingers through it. He wanted to trace the lines of her creamy white face, dashed ever so slightly with freckles. He watched as she wrote notes frantically, noticing that she chewed on her lip, as she sometimes did when she thought no one was looking.

James knew, without a doubt, that he loved Lily Evans. She was the only girl that could cause such a reaction from him. She, however, was unconvinced of this. After all, everyone in Hogwarts knew that James had an affinity for the ladies. This was something that Lily knew, and consequently something she did not forget. In an effort to get to Lily, James had put many of her friends under his charming love spell, and she hated him wretchedly for it.

She could feel his eyes on her now, and she peered up at him to let him know this. He locked eyes with her, and made no effort to look away, clearly unembarrassed by his own gawking. She expected him to look away immediately, and now she could feel her insides getting warm and tingly. The warmth worked its way up to her face in a deep red blush, noticeable from outer space.

She looked down at once. "Damn it," she muttered, breaking the electric contact between them. Lily was not stupid, her perfect scores in school could attest to that. As smart as she was, she preferred to live in denial when it came to James. She knew that a part of her was attracted to him, and it was something she had never experienced before. It pained her to admit this, but it pained her much more to let him see it. More than anything, Lily could not stand the idea of being one of the many girls James Potter had seduced and left out to dry. She swore she would never be added to his list of conquests.

The blush did not go unnoticed by James, who still sat in a daze. He could not believe how Lily made him feel with just a small look. For the rest of Potions, he felt almost lightheaded and giddy inside, not to mention slightly successful.

In the back of the classroom Severus Snape sneered internally at James; jealousy tore profoundly at his very depths, yet his face remained blank. The fact that Lily even acknowledged James' existence threw him into a rage. However, both James and Lily appeared oblivious to the vehement feelings pouring from behind them; both too consumed with brooding thoughts of each other. Severus' dark penetrating eyes came to rest on the back of James' brown hair in a cold glare.

As Potions dragged on, Lily thought about what it would be like to be with James, while James wondered what he could do to get Lily to think what she was already thinking about him. Lily, lost in erotic and tumultuous thoughts, unknowingly began breathing heavily. Thankfully no one but James and Severus seemed to notice. Her thoughts ran away with her, and James liked it ever so much. He watched her a while and began to feel undone. Anymore of this, he thought, and I'll have to excuse myself from the room. He didn't know what Lily was thinking about, but he wanted to find out. Finally, he decided to leave the room and take a stroll down the hall for a moment so he could collect his thoughts, maybe even plan some sort of chivalrous move to win Lily over. He laughed at the likelihood of ever pulling that off.

His abrupt exit brought Lily back from her heavy day dream. She didn't know why but she loathed the feeling just then when he departed, and at the same time she hated him beyond belief. She hated him for making her feel this way, because she knew she could never be with a rake like him. She resolved to never let him know her conflicting feelings; an inch of weakness could spell the end for her. And besides, from what she had observed over the years, she knew that James was a cocky, rude prat! His only weakness was...well, it was her. She had become aware of this over the past year and a half, and she would use it for her advantage when necessary. James like to cut up and play pranks constantly, while Lily was serious about her academics, with little time to play. She was the only person that could get James to behave at times, for some reason he only listened to her. She wanted to make him behave without involving herself in the process and she endeavored to make that happen.

However, there was a hitch in Lily's plans; that is, James being a spot of weakness for her as she was for him. She wrote him off as a guilty pleasure to indulge in, and not somebody she could give herself to, someone without any substance. Lily told herself that anything she may have felt for him was merely sexual attraction, pure and simple but nothing more than that. Underneath her confident thoughts, Lily felt unsure, but that's what scared her most of all. In her mind, she could not totally eliminate this possibility of possessing feelings for him. More than anything love scared Lily; she witnessed too many divorces, and too many of her friends hearts had been dismembered before her very eyes, and all she could do was help them salvage what was left. She had seen the wreckage love could leave behind, the way it dismantled the strongest of people. Damn her if she would open herself up to someone like that, especially to an infamous heartbreaker like James Potter. She abhorred most of his friends, and his little Maurader group. They were just as cocky as him! Well maybe not Peter, but definitely Sirius. Lupin wasn't so bad; she could honestly say she liked Lupin.

Her thoughts were dispelled when James popped back into the room, and plopped down onto his seat. He looked forward at the board, not so much as even peeping at her. Lily watched him and caught her breath when she spotted a strong arm through his robe. His hair fell over his glasses as he bent his head forward deep in thought. Suddenly he looked up at her; Lily snapped her head back around and lost her balance in the process. She flew backwards, spilling onto the floor. The entire class laughed while Lily picked herself up. She brushed herself off rather gracefully, James noticed. She could have died from the embarrassment she felt just then, but decided that was not appropriate, although tempting. Lily lifted her chin high, smoothed out her disheveled robes, and sat back down.

"Miss Evans are you all right there?" the professor asked out of courtesy. All she could do was nod.

Seeing that she was not injured James smiled from ear to ear. He was beyond pleased at eliciting such a reaction from her. He did feel bad that she had fallen out of her chair; it was very unlike Lily Evans to lose herself, he'd noticed over the years. At the end of class she stood hurriedly, attempting to whip right past him, but he reached out a long hard arm and blocked her. "Look Lily...I'm sorry I made you fall out of your chair..." She could tell by the look on his face right now, that he was not sorry. In fact, he looked pretty damned happy about it. Well damn him to bloody hell, she thought.

Without so much as a blink, Lily grinned and said, "Don't be silly. You didn't make me fall out of my chair. I just lost my balance for a moment." James didn't know if he should challenge this or not; he knew she would inevitably win. He looked down at her, and they both seemed to notice how close they were to each other at the same time. Suddenly James lost himself in those deep green eyes, and without a thought he bent down and kissed Lily Evans. He kissed her with everything he had. At that moment every feeling he possessed for her surfaced, and he lost his senses. Lily tried to pull away from him, resisting his kiss and touch. Her whole body trembled and throbbed, pleasure shooting through her core. She could no longer move. James tasted so good, and he worked wonders with his tongue. His body pressed close to hers; his hand was at the nape of her neck, running through her hair feverishly.

Lily came to her senses quickly though. Remembering where she was, she felt embarrassed. Then she broke away from his lips and found herself pinned between James and a large desk. "Get off of me Potter!" she barked. James just stared at her in a daze, breathing heavily. He made no motion to move, and she slapped him across the face. Not enough to really hurt but enough to shock him, the same way he had shocked her with this little stunt. He still wouldn't move though, and Lily wiggled out from between him and the desk. She grabbed her things and quickly scanned the room to make sure no one had witnessed what had happened; then she bolted out of the room. James stared after her a moment, confusion furrowing his brow.

He felt compelled to follow her immediately. Lily Evan's may not have been aware of her feelings for him, but James saw something flicker in her emerald eyes every time he caught her looking at him unaware. He decided it was time to make Lily acknowledge this, which seemed feasible if he could just get her guard down. James knew that would be a huge feat with Lily Evans, the strongest willed person he had ever met. But they were both in their last year of school after all, what did he have to lose?

"It's now or never."


	2. Lust in the Library

James tore off after her in a sudden rush, adrenaline pushing him on. He ran down the hall, he spotted her red hair flying around a corner. Both ran at their full speeds. Several bemused students stopped to watch the spectacle the two created. Despite his besmirched reputation, it was common knowledge that James Potter was crazy for Lily Evans. After all, he was dating all of her friends to make her jealous. But what everyone wanted to know was why James was chasing her down the hall and why was Lily Evans running away from him? No one had ever really seen her run or the look of panic plastered on her face before. Lily Evans was the most put together girl in school, not a hair out of place, beautiful, and smart. It was a curious sight.

"Lily! Wait!" James used all his effort to make a run down the hall; she had gained a nice head start when she bolted out of potions without warning. He was nearly caught up to her now. Sensing how close he was to her, the hair on her neck stood up. In one spastic movement her books fell to the floor in a heap. James, caught off guard by her clumsiness, did likewise. Quick as usual, Lily did not miss a beat. She kept running, unconcerned with the fate of her beloved books.

Until right now, she had never had a reason to fear James. Never had he been this bold. She feared what might happen if he got that close to her again. Would she lose herself? It felt wonderful, yes, but she refused to let him do this to her. She was not like those other girls. Unlike them, she had self worth and wits to boot. All the girls he went through had been weak, and that was not a word that described Lily Evans.

James was still in hot pursuit. Instinctually, she headed for the library. She knew she did not have enough time to make it to the common room, where she could safely run up to the girls' dormitory.

"Lily, wait! Please. I need to talk to you."

"Go away!"

"No. Talk to me."

Inside, the library was vacant, almost desolate in her mind. Lily looked around frantically like a cornered animal, and dashed for the maze of bookshelves in the back. She rounded a corner only to see that it was a dead end. James, unprepared for the sudden stop, inadvertently, tackled her as she turned around. He landed on top of her with a loud thud, knocking the wind out of her.

"Oh, god. I'm sorry Lily," he said, concern muddled his visage. He studied her a moment looking to see if anything was wrong. The look of fear had disappeared from her, and was replaced by something else. A burning heat he had never seen before entered those big green eyes. Seizing this moment of vulnerability, he bent his head lower and whispered into her ear huskily, "But I'm going to take advantage of you, while you're under me." With that his mouth came down on top of hers so hard they were both sure to have bruised lips the next day. Lily did not care about bruised lips or anything else at that moment. All she could think about was James, and what he was doing to her. Unaware of her own movements, she raked her fingers through his hair causing his kisses to become stronger and more heated. Then his mouth moved to nibble on her ear.

"James…" she moaned. He laid kisses all over her neck when he heard her say his name with such pleasure.

He moved back to her ear briefly to whisper, "That's the first time you've ever said my first name. I never thought I'd hear it like that." This statement brought Lily crashing straight back to reality. She started to wiggle out from under him but he was too heavy.

"Let me up," she said sternly.

"No."

"And why not?"

"Because I can't," he smiled and tried to kiss her again.

She tilted her head away and gasped out, "No!" as he kissed her neck by mistake. "Please, let me up," she said. It was the "please" that tugged at him. She had lost the hard edge in her voice, and it had fallen to a plea.

"Alright, but I want to talk to you Lilly, before I let you up."

"Well I guess I don't really have a choice," she said huffily.

"Tell me something...I want to know if you like me."

"No!"

"Well it takes two to kiss, Lily. I don't think you're being honest with me."

"Look just let me up, this isn't how head boy and head girl are supposed to be acting."

"I don't care Lily, I want you, and you obviously want me. Why won't you go out with me then?"

"Don' flatter yourself, Potter!"

"Hmmm...I think I liked James better," with that he leaned down and nibbled her ear.

Lily moaned and then covered her mouth with her hands, immediately seeing what James was up to. "Damn you, Potter!" Lily finally bucked him and writhed until she got loose. She took off running back to her books, and James followed suit.

"I knew you always liked me!" he yelled up to her. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Think what you will, Potter!" she yelled right back, "and stop following me."

"I left my bag back there, too," he called up, "Besides, I want to walk you back to the common room."

"That won't be necessary, Potter."

"Fine I guess I'll just have to enjoy the view from back here," with that he smirked knowing he won this go round with her. The thought of him ogling her from behind only exacerbated her anger.

"Fine, Potter, you can walk me back, but don't you dare try anything again or I'll hex you."


	3. Bickering Breakfast

Lily scrambled to collect her things off of the floor in the hall. People seemed to be gawking at her, and she already knew why. James, used to this sort of attention, looked indifferent. He tried reassuring her, but she wanted none of it. Thankfully, Potions had been the last class of the day and the weekend was finally here. James wanted to spend more time with Lily now that he had broken a new barrier with her, but he knew her pretty well after all these years at Hogwarts. The second they walked into the common room, he knew she would go right up to her room. If he didn't have Quidditch practice he would have pressed the matter further.

They stopped at the portrait of the Fat Lady, and Lily hastily annunciated the password. As the portrait swung open, James took the opportunity to rest his hand on her back.

"I thought I told you not to try anything, Potter." Lily's face went red; she practically seethed with anger.

"Sorry Lily, I couldn't help myself," he started to laugh as she turned quickly on her heel and headed up the stairs to the girls dormitory.

When she reached her room she screamed out loud. "Who does he think he is? He thinks he can just do whatever he wants, does he?" Lily vented aloud. After ten minutes she calmed down a bit and lay down on her bed, with her face buried in the pillows.

His words kept haunting her. "I want to know if you like me...Well it takes two to kiss Lily; I don't think you're being honest with me...I want you, and you obviously want me. Why won't you go out with me then?" The words struck at her once incredibly strong defenses, and they were impossible to get out of her head. She spent the whole night replaying their conversation in her mind over and over and reliving what he made her feel. Today he awoke all of her senses. She was still in shock that James had actually done what he did. He had never actually had the nerve to kiss her before, and she didn't like how easily he could affect her that way.

Lily woke up that night from a wonderful dream. Well it was wonderful while she was sleeping anyway. She dreamt that she and James were married, in love and happy. It was everything she could have asked for out of life. They were surrounded with the truest friends, but the biggest joy of all was the son that James had given her.

Now awake, Lily cackled at the thought of James Potter married or them every sharing a child. She wanted to throw up. How could she have such a dream about James? It more than disturbed her presently.

Lily pulled herself out of bed slowly remembering a trip to Hogsmeade was scheduled for today. She had a hard time making herself go knowing James would be there. She just wanted this whole James business to disappear. So much had changed from yesterday: her reputation, her desires, and what she thought she wanted. The only things that hadn't changed were her stubbornness and pride. Despite her inner turmoil, she was determined to keep him out of her mind and heart.

"Lily?" She heard her best friend call out to her from her bed. Angela Kwon was beautiful with long silky flowing black hair that made any girl at Hogwarts jealous. Aside from that, she was the star Quidditch player for Gryffindor that year. They made an unlikely pair, and together they turned heads.

"Yeah, Angie?"

"Bloody hell! What are you doing up so early?" Angela said rubbing her eyes. Lily wanted to laugh at the indignation radiating from her.

"What?" Emma mumbled, half asleep. Emma was a sweet girl, and the third roommate. Unlike most of the girls at Hogwarts, she chose a rat as her pet. This did not bode well with Angela, but it didn't bother Lily in the slightest.

"Nothing, Emma," Lily laughed, "just go back to sleep." Emma didn't hesitate to follow that advice, at least until her alarm went off a few minutes later. She threw the alarm clock across the room and it shattered into a million pieces, then she plopped back against the bed, snoring some seconds later.

"Typical," Angela chided.

"I'm going down to breakfast; I'll see you guys later." Lily started walking towards the door.

"No!" Angela yelled, "I'm coming, too. I don't want to miss anything today." Angela was completely scandalized by what she had heard about James and Lily the day before. "Tell me everything before we go, don't skip the juicy parts."

Lily filled her in on all the details. There were no secrets between them; Lily told her everything. Angela began brainstorming ways to save Lily from the clutches of James Potter, "…and I'll follow you to the Library, too!"

"Oh, shut up," Lily said playfully throwing a pillow at her.

"I'm trying to sleep here!" Emma grumbled.

"Oh, shut up," Angela said rolling her eyes, "Come on Lils, let's make like a hippie and blow this joint." She headed for the door, and Lily followed her lead. They headed down the corridor to breakfast and entered the great hall. Lily scanned the long Gryffindor table for James or any sign of the Marauders. Wherever you found one of them, you were bound to find more. She caught sight of Lupin, and there was no one else with him. She thought that peculiar, but filled with relief she let it go.

"Hey, Lupin!" Lily chirped. Lupin was probably the only Maurader she could stand. He was nice and clever, much like herself.

"Good morning, ladies," Lupin smiled and nodded slightly. She and Angela took seats next to him. It was not unusual for them to sit with Lupin on occasion, since Angela was highly attracted to him. He struggled to hold a laugh back. Fortunately, Lily did not seem to notice. He knew James was on his way down for breakfast, and that he would be beyond exuberant to see her sitting with him. Just as Lupin's thought had completed, James and Sirius strutted into the great hall followed by Peter.

"Oh god," Lily rolled her eyes.

"Hate him that much, do you?" Lupin asked curiously. He and the rest of the Marauders all knew how in love James was with Lily; and they were well aware of what had transpired the day before.

"Yes, and don't think any differently... I guess he told you."

"Well yes, but I bet your friends know as well."

"Well that you would be right about, Lupin. Don't worry I'm not mad or anything. I could care less, since it didn't mean anything. I just don't want the whole school to know about it."

"Morning sunshine!" Sirius said plopping down next to Lily and putting his arm around her, "Why you look like your positively glowing! What have you been up to?" He had a bemused look about him.

"Sirius! Leave her alone!" James said struggling to pull him off of her.

"Fine, fine," Sirius got up and sat next to Angela, letting James sit next to Lily. Lily scooted away from him, but he moved closer to her each time she did so. He smelled that intoxicating flowery scent coming off of her hair like he did every time he was near her; and it nearly drove him crazy. He leaned in so that his mouth was close to her ear. Lily felt her insides melt again like the day before, and the blush started to surface when he blew slightly.

"Mmmmm..." Lily slapped her hands over mouth; her eyes were wide with shock from her reaction to him. She tried to stand up but James stopped her by pulling her back down swiftly. Angela as well as all of the Marauders were starring at them.

"Interesting," said Sirius dryly.

"Very," said Angela cocking an eyebrow, "I do believe they have the hots for each other."

"That's ridiculous!" Lily shouted.

"Didn't sound ridiculous a few seconds ago," said James.

"Leave me alone James, you know exactly what I think of you!"

"Yes, leave her alone!" came a commanding voice that made everyone turn around and stare, "You waste your time with her James. Why don't you come with me instead?" It was a girl Lily recognized only as Sarah, and from her robes she appeared to be a Hufflepuff. She had long blonde hair and cold blue eyes pointed straight at Lily. Lily burned with anger at the insult. She grew self conscious of her red hair and freckles in Sarah's presence. She was accompanied by what appeared to be less beautiful clone versions of her, all with vehement gazes pointed right at Lily.

"I don't know how many ways I have to say it, but I'm not interested okay," he barely looked at her, deciding the bacon on his plate was more interesting.

"Whatever James, I never thought your standards would sink THIS low." She looked disgustedly at Lily.

"Come on Sarah, let's get out of here," one of the clones said just in time and they returned back to the Hufflepuff table.

"Feisty one, she is!" exclaimed Sirius.

"Got that right," said James. Lily looked harshly at him.

"Oh is she now?"

"Why do you care?" said James looking intently at her. For a moment she was flabbergasted.

"I don't care! But your little fan club is starting to piss me off."

"I'm sorry, Lilly, really I am."

This caught Lily by surprise, "Uh…it's ok, I guess it's not your fault." She cursed herself for being so easy. Potter certainly had a few tricks up his sleeve.

"Lily, will you come with me to Hogsmeade?" Something in his voice inferred that he meant the trip as a date, and no one at the table missed the meaning.

"No. That's where I draw the line."

"Well can I walk next to you?"

"I can't keep you from walking where you want. Whatever, I need to go get ready for the trip," Lily stood up to leave and James followed confidently. She ignored him mostly, except to turn back and glare at him every now and then.

"Man, he's got it bad," Peter, said once they were out of hearing range.

"I agree," Angela chimed in.

"You know, I think we should combine forces and get your friend to admit that she likes my friend," Sirius said, "so we can have a normal breakfast around here." Angela thought for a moment, reflecting back on what she had just witnessed between Lily and James.

"You know, I'm starting to think that's not a half bad idea."


	4. Tumultuous Tunnels

James walked Lily back to the common room happily. They both disappeared to their assigned rooms to change out of their uniform robes and into normal clothes for Hogsmeade. When Lily reached her room she went to the mirror and stared for a moment wondering what she should wear. She had one of those rare urges to make an attempt at looking good that day. If people were going to be judging her all day, she thought she might as well. She changed into a green dress, and then descended the girls' dormitory stairs.

James stunned by her beauty gaped momentarily and made no attempt to pull himself together. "You look amazing, Lily." James smiled as she floated down. Lily was not shocked to see him there waiting for her, but she was shocked at the nervous feeling in her stomach. Suddenly it hit her that James looked equally delectable today. His cologne had traveled swiftly up the stairs. She fought the urge to smile at him just then, shifting her thoughts to all of her friends he had used and discarded. That wouldn't be her; she was too smart for that.

The dress was casual yet elegant on her slim body with pearl earrings to match. All of it complimented her forest colored eyes and strawberry hair. She threw on a sweater she brought along to avoid showing too much skin. Her hair was tied back in an elegant bun with a few loose pieces of hair falling around and framing her face. James could hardly move at the sight of her. He had always thought she was gorgeous in her, now apparently, baggy school robes. Did she wear such large robes on purpose he wondered?

"Thank you," Lily said warily. She could sense her feelings for him shifting; they were moving in a direction she was scared of. She wondered what she was doing, letting him walk her to Hogesmeade; he'd get ideas. She tried to tell him to go away, but it was as if the words were caught in her throat. James pushed open the portrait door for Lily and followed right after her. Once on the other side he couldn't help himself; he pushed her gently against the portrait and kissed her with strength. Lily's head swam with muddled thoughts, her body on fire. She didn't resist him right away, but began to push him away after a minute.

"Ouch! Stop that you two!" the Fat Lady cried out, "Get off of me!" James immediately let off of Lily, in shock at the sound of the fat lady's voice.

"Oh my god!" Lily exclaimed. She was surprised that the Fat Lady had beat her to it.

"We're terribly sorry," James said drably. He found the fat lady's cries of outrage amusing to say the least.

"Well you should be! Suffocating an old woman like me! Now off with you!"

"I just want to point out that that was not my fault," Lily said to the fat lady, who wasn't having any of it. She huffed, and proceeded to ignore the both of them.

James reached over and put his arm around Lily to lead her away from the portrait.

"Well that will certainly live on in my fondest memories of Hogwarts. The kiss wasn't so bad either," James half laughed.

Just as he expected she shrugged his arm off of her immediately. "Lay off it, Potter." Lily looked around realizing they weren't heading in a direction she was familiar with, "Potter?"

"You know I want you to call me, James."

She scoffed. "You'll always be Potter to me, and where are we going?"

"We are taking a secret way to Hogsmeade."

"I don't like the sound of that. We should head back to where the other students are meeting, I don't want to get into trouble." James stopped by a statue of a witch, and quickly opened up the passageway. He stepped in and tugged her in behind him. When they stepped in they were immediately shrouded by the thickest darkness. Lily stood closer to James noting how warm his body was. "I don't like the dark," she said in a whisper he barely heard.

"I'll fix that," James said lifting his wand in a swift motion, "Lumos!" With that the path in front of them lit only three steps ahead, but it would do for Lily. James had encircled her hand in his without her realizing; she clutched it tightly, giving James an ecstatic feeling.

"What's that up ahead?"

"I don't know," James lowered his wand and then shoved it in his pocket. There was a dim light coming from up ahead, Lily could smell a familiar scent in the air. "I don't believe him!" James laughed.

"Who?" Lily quickly scanned the path before them, confusion furrowing her brow.

"Sirius, that old dog."

"What is it?" Before them lay a blanket with rose petals spread across it and a score of candles lying about. Lily's heart left up into her throat and she went silent. The intention was now suddenly clear to her. "I don't believe this Potter," she said outraged. James searched her eyes for a moment.

"What? You think I had something to do with this?" She looked back at him incredulous signifying she thought he had everything to with it. "Lily, I swear this was not my idea." Part of her believed him just then, but another part of her was terrified at the sudden pressure she felt with the new romantic setting.

She strode over to the candles, "Well, now that you mention it, I think Sirius had a little help," said Lily picking up a candle, "Only Angie knows my favorite scent, and this is definitely gardenia," she sniffed the candle before setting it down again. James observed her silent form for a moment. The tension was unbearable, and her silence only made it worse.

Always willing to seize an opportunity, James moved close behind her, and put his hands on her shoulders. "Looks like they went through an awful lot of trouble. It would be a shame to let it go to waste," James said huskily. Lily thought frantically, but her defenses seemed weak at the moment. Here they were alone in this dark tunnel with the most romantic lighting she'd ever seen, and that beautiful aroma coaxing her. But inside she knew he was using her, she knew how he really felt. The fact that she knew empowered her slightly. He was never going to leave her alone until he got what he wanted from her, which she could only assume was sex. She didn't want to fight the attraction anymore. Her mind searched furiously for reasons why she could go through with this.

"Why can't _I_ use _him_?" she thought. Lily was all for good behavior, and in fact she could be described as prude. But now she felt the sudden urge to let her hair down a little; besides no one would believe that she would have anything to do with James Potter. She could do whatever she wanted with James, right here, right now and no one would ever know about it. She turned around to face him.

"No, I don't think we should let it go to waste either." James stood there shocked for a moment. Was Lily Evans actually agreeing with him? He didn't have much time to think about it, because Lily was already pulling his face down to her. He took her into his arms. They kissed softly at first, then it steadily became stronger until they were both lost in each other.

"God you're so beautiful," James said pulling back to look at Lily. She ignored him and went back to kissing. He pulled away again, "I've been waiting so long for this." She nodded and tugged his face back to hers again. This time, he pulled back a foot or so and searched her eyes questioningly. "Wait, Lily, you know that I really like you, right?"

"What?" Lily said somewhat stunned. She was giving him what he wanted, he didn't have to lie or make small talk. She tried to go back to kissing, but he stopped her.

"I said, I really like you."

"Huh?" she raised a brow at him.

"You do speak English, right?"

"Of course I speak English, Potter."

"James…" he corrected.

"Look, I'm giving you what you want from me. You're ruining the mood, so just shut up."

"What I want? What is it that you think I want from you, Lily?"

"What you want from all the other girls in this school, Potter." His expression was pained for a moment; he supposed he deserved that. After the way he behaved, how could he expect her to think any different or realize that she was the one he wanted. The truth was that from the moment he had laid eyes on her years ago, Lily Evans was the only girl he wanted. For years, she hadn't even noticed him. In an attempt to get her attention, James had seduced as many of her closest friends as he could, and simultaneously created a reputation for himself as a ladies man. He hadn't felt anything for them, and now it seemed that his plan had backfired. All of the girls in school were dying to have him, except the one he wanted.

"I want you Lily, not just like that, but I want you to be my girlfriend. I want to date you, and bring you home, the whole thing." Lily let out a laugh just then. Was James Potter really trying to make her believe he was sensitive?

"Honestly, Potter, you don't have to lie to me. In fact, I'd rather just get this over with so you'll stop pestering me." The thought made her blissful. No more Potter following her around, or her friends, no more staring at her in class, or stealing kisses from her in public places. For a moment she felt a bit of sadness thinking about what it might be like without all of those things, but then she thought about how much James had infuriated her over the years.

James froze for a moment. He wasn't sure what to do with this girl, a first for him. Obviously, he wasn't very convincing. His mind spun around contemplating his options. He could take Lily right here, right now, something he'd wanted to do for so long, but she sounded less than enthused. Knowing her as he did, he was sure if he did she wouldn't take it seriously; that's not exactly what he wanted to happen. James wanted her to see that he was genuine, and making love to her right now wouldn't send the right message, he concluded. He could take her now and spend all of his time afterward convincing her he was serious.

Presently his mind shifted back to her standing there before him, her eyes were curious and burning with heat. He couldn't distract his eyes from Lily long enough to stop himself from kissing her. He placed his hand behind her ear and ran it a little ways through her hair to the nape of her neck, and her eyes glazed over. His mouth came down hard on hers, and as her arms wrapped around his neck he lifted her with his unoccupied hand. Without realizing it, she had wrapped her legs around his torso; her back was pinned against the cold brick wall of the passageway.

She let out a small gasp, and his mouth moved down to her neck. He pulled himself back again. "Lily, I can't, not like this." For a moment she looked stunned, even wounded, and then her eyes turned cold. He could tell he was in for it now.

"Then let me down, Potter."

"But, I just want…"

"NOW!" the command in her voice startled him, he'd never heard her sound anything like that before. The second he dropped her, she was off. Her mind was reeling. "What the fuck was I thinking?" She couldn't believe she had almost slept with James Potter, and in this dark dirty tunnel no less because of a few candles. Where had her standards fled? The worst of it was the burning in her chest. Something about him denying her, hurt deeply. Rather than cry about it, she got angry. Well she wouldn't be making this mistake again, no more being alone with James under any circumstances. She couldn't trust him or herself to stop anything from happening.

She no longer feared the darkness of the tunnel; her anger was too strong for that. Instead, Lily trudged on, not bothering to wait for James. She wanted out of this tunnel as soon as possible and as far away from him as she could possibly get.


	5. Searing Snow

Sirius and Angela stood close together in the snow. They had picked a secluded spot, not to canoodle, but to watch the fruits of their efforts come to life. Sirius lifted his finger in the direction of Honeydukes.

"They should be coming out of there any minute."

"Do you think it really worked?" Angela said sardonically.

"There's no real way of knowing until they come out of that tunnel. In the meantime, I suggest we get to know each other a little better." Sirius slipped his arm around Angela's waist, and she didn't make an immediate effort to remove it. He was practically undressing her with his curious brown eyes.

"The only reason I'm letting you do that is because it's freezing outside."

"Sure it is." He winked at her.

Sirius and James had both developed quite a disreputable reputation for themselves at Hogwarts concerning the female student body. But unlike James, Sirius was not secretly sensitive, nor did he have any hidden love agendas. His intentions were always straightforward when it came to women. He never lied to them about these intensions, yet it seemed they still couldn't resist him, even without some form of commitment.

"You know there are a lot of girls who would _love_ to be in your position right now."

"Then go find one of them," Angela said crossing her arms. Sirius couldn't fathom why this girl wasn't swooning at the mere sound of his voice acknowledging her existence. She had to be the only girl in school besides Lily Evans who would deny him so forcefully.

"Oh we'll see about that my dear. You can't resist me forever you know?"

"Whatever," Angela said rolling her eyes.

Just then they saw Lily emerge from the tavern. She was stomping off huffily towards the woods, her face was red and blotchy and her fists were clenched into tight balls. A minute later James came barreling though the door. He looked around, but had lost her. It appeared as though this time she had finally outrun him.

"That doesn't look to good to me," said Sirius. "We should probably do something."

"I think we've already done enough damage for today, Sirius." Angela started to walk towards the forest where Lily had disappeared.

"Hey, you're not cross with me or anything right?"

"No," she said remorsefully, "I had as much to do with this whole thing as you did, so if there's anyone for me to blame, it's myself."

She left him there pondering his next move. He seemed to be stuck in his thoughts. This girl had somehow intrigued him today. Angela Kwon seemed his counterpart in every possible way. She was just as guileful as him, not to mention extraordinarily beautiful. She was exotic, clever, combative, and she wanted no part of Sirius. All of these things fascinated him and attracted him to her. He could have any girl in school if he wanted, so why all of a sudden did he feel like it might not be enough anymore? How did he let this little minx get into his head when she didn't even want him?

He had had so many girls at Hogwarts, and now that he was in his seventh year and nearing the end of his time in school, he couldn't help but wonder what might come next. Sirius Black could never admit to anyone that he might have feelings, or might be vulnerable, what would everyone say about him? That he'd gone soft?

A frantic James briskly interrupted his thoughts. "Sirius! What the hell are you doing over here in these bushes? Have you seen Lily anywhere?" His expression turned from frantic to angry in about two seconds. "Oi, why the bloody hell did you have to go messing with this Sirius? You know how she is."

"I was trying to help, James. I never could have predicted she would dislike candles. What kind of a girl doesn't like candles and romance?"

"Apparently, Lily Evans doesn't like candles and romance!" James was screaming at the top of his lungs now. He was finally at his wits end. "That's just it, Lily's not like any other girl I've ever met, and she's not going to react like any girl I've ever met. She finally took the bate and kissed me back and she tried to…you know…"

"You mean she wanted to have sex with you? That's excellent! So, wait, then why did she storm out of Honeydukes so infuriated? Oh no. You didn't James? _You_ told _her_ no. I don't bloody believe it."

James simply hung his head. "It's complicated okay. You weren't there."

"You're right I wasn't there, but it sounds to me like Lily Evans threw herself at you, something you've dreamed about for years, and you said no. What exactly am I misunderstanding?"

"She thought I was just going to toss her after, and she didn't even care. She just wanted me to get it over with and leave her alone forever. That, Sirius, is not what I want so do you see the predicament?"

"Of course, I figured it was something like that. Lily Evans is a complicated woman. You didn't think it'd be that easy to win her heart, did you? You may need to come up with another strategy old boy."

"I know, and I've tried everything there is. She's just unreachable, but I can't stop myself from trying anyway. I've got to do something to get to her, to make her see that I'm being genuine."

"I wish you luck, friend. You're going to need it."

When Angela had finally reached Lily, the sight was anything but relieving. Lily was perched on the trunk of a fallen tree; her face was buried in her hands, muffling the sobs that seemed to burst out of her.

Inside Angela felt sheer panic, but she remained austere when Lily looked up at her. She'd never seen Lily this bad. Even in the worst circumstances, Lily always kept her composure. She didn't know if she'd ever seen her cry before, or if _anyone_ had seen Lily cry for that matter. For whatever reasons, Lily was never emotional; she kept herself completely in control at all times. From her perfect grades, to her perfectly pressed robes, there was never a hair out of place. Not until this exact moment had Angela given it a second thought. All of this _perfection_ had obviously taken a toll on her closest friend, and she had never noticed, not once how vehemently Lily was trying to keep people from seeing who she really was. She felt tremendous guilt at the realization.

"Lily, are you alright?" Angela wanted to kick herself in the teeth for asking a question with such an obvious answer.

"I need you to go away, Angie." She stared at the ground as she wiped her nose with the back of her arm.

"You know me better than that Lils. I'm not going anywhere." She walked over and wrapped Lily in a loose hug. Surprisingly, Lily didn't pull away from her, merely sobbed even harder than before. Angie rocked her back and forth. "You can talk to me if you want anytime Lily, I'm here for you."

"I don't know what's wrong with me. I almost had sex with Potter back there; I wanted to and he told me no!"

Angela's jaw dropped open, "HE WHAT?" She never could have predicted this, not in a million years. "I don't believe it."

Lily let out another sob, "Believe it. I am such an idiot, I can't believe I almost gave it up to that jackass. Who does he think he is? He thinks he can just play with me like that?"

"I'm sure he had a good reason. You're the prettiest, smartest girl in school."

"If I'm the prettiest smartest girl in school then why did he just say no?"

"Lily, come on now. James is _completely_ in love with you. Can't you see that? Even I'm saying it to you. I know you don't want to hear it and I know you don't want to believe it but if you don't listen to someone you're going to look back and regret it."

"That doesn't make any sense in light of what just happened."

"I don't believe that. What did you say to him back there?"

"Nothing! He just tried to seduce me and I told him to hurry up and get it over with so we can both move on with our lives. That's exactly what he wants."

"Lily, that is not what he wants, obviously. That's why he didn't have sex with you."

She sat in silence for a while mulling this information over in her head. It was true that what Angela said made complete sense now that she looked at it rationally. Unfortunately, the rejection still stung incredibly, not to mention she didn't like what this all meant. Was this proof that James actually liked her, or was this all part of an elaborate sinister plan to make her fall in love with him so that he could rip her heart out for giggles? She didn't want to let her guard down when it came to him or anyone really. She didn't want to fall in love. She had goals, and things she wanted to do for herself. She wanted to travel and see the world.

She refused to be like her mother, wed right out of Hogwarts and pregnant in no time. She was so smart; she could do anything she had ever dreamed of. Love was not on her life agenda, yet she could no longer deny that something illogical inside of her ached for James. She wanted him now more than ever, now that there was incredible proof of his feelings for her. She didn't know if she could ever face him again, and despite her aching to speak with him, fear was the ceaseless feeling inside of her.


	6. Perfect Plot

James strove to find an opportunity to smooth things over with Lily, but she wasn't having any of it. In class, she avoided his glances and was quick to surround herself with a shield of bubbly girls everywhere she went in the castle. She was hardly ever alone, and if James waited for her in the common room, she just wouldn't come down until he left, even if it meant being very late to class. He was beginning to lose hope.

"I've got to find a way to talk to her, Sirius. I just can't get anywhere near her."

"Well, maybe it's a good sign that she's going through such extremes to avoid you. It means she really cares that you rejected her."

"How is hurting her feelings a good thing? She was already icy to me before. Now, it's like I'm a bloody Popsicle."

Indeed, Lily had never poured out such a frigid wrath on him before. Mostly, she pretended not to notice James, but if they accidentally locked eyes her expression immediately turned to anger. He wasn't sure quite how to rectify this situation. All he could do was try to get her alone and explain the situation to her. But how many times had he tried that and failed? Countless times, that's how many. It was like trying to get through an impenetrable wall. This time was different though. He would have to think outside of the box, and try something he had never done to get her to listen to him. At the moment, he had no brilliant ideas, but he was working on it.

Just then Sirius waved his hand in front of James' face. "Hello? James, you in there? Stop staring at where Lily Evans usually sits and listen to me." It was true he had been staring down the enormous Gryffindor table and over the mounds of bacon, eggs, and toast right at her empty seat as he contemplated ideas.

"I'm listening."

"Sure you are, my friend. You're a mess, old boy. You've been picking at that same glop of eggs for the past thirty minutes. You know, maybe you should just give the girl a little space. That's obviously what she wants. You think waiting for her at every door like a puppy dog is going to change something? You've been doing that for as long as I can remember."

Something in James' head clicked suddenly. "You're right. I need to do something totally different, the opposite of what I've been doing all along. I think I've got something here."

"Wonderful. I hope you finished your potions assignment?"

James ran his hand through his hair with a frown. "No. I completely forgot about that sodding thing."

"Better get to it then, class starts in less than an hour."

James walked to the library, and attempted his assignment. After twenty minutes he realized that he had just been staring at parchment the entire time. There was not a thought in his mind unoccupied by her.

In the corner of his eye he saw a wisp of strawberry colored hair pass by. He knew without looking that it must, Lily. It took everything inside of him not to look up at her. He wondered if she had noticed him yet, as he looked more interested in potions than wizardly possible.

Indeed, Lily had noticed James busily at work. She froze upon seeing him, caught by the sight of the protruding veins in his forearms that seemed to bulge for her. His broad shoulders always made her catch her breath, and with no distractions around she couldn't look away. She fanned herself a bit. The uniform robes seemed more stifling than usual. She wondered why he had not noticed her standing there yet. He always seemed to have uncanny radar for that sort of thing, always seemed to know if she was looking at him. That had always annoyed her. How could she secretly appreciate his body if he saw her doing it? She thought about the tunnel just then and her cheeks turned red.

"No," she thought, "_he_ rejected _me_, and he's still Potter, the intolerable school rake." She got a hold of herself, and quickly left the library. James looked up in time see the conflicted expression on her face.

Later at lunch, James had perfected his plans and new romantic approach to Lily Evans. He chased her constantly, as Sirius had pointed out earlier, and he was willing to bruise his ego over and over again to get her, but it wasn't working. In fact, it was obvious that it had never worked in the first place. She was the only girl he hadn't played games with, but now, he thought, was the perfect opportunity to introduce them.

Lily sat in her usual spot next to Angela. James on the other hand sat next to Amelia Shawdink of Hufflepuff. A pang of jealousy entered her chest, followed by anger. Just a day ago Potter was whispering sweet nothings to her and trying to seduce her.

"...and that's why my hair is so silky and shiny today," Amelia said, smiling up at him.

"Yes it is rather soft looking. Mind if I touch it?" he said slowly running his fingers through it. He watched Lily from the corner of his eye seeing her bristle with anger. He noted she was beautiful even when she was cross. Her nose crinkled and her mouth pouted in only a way he would find gut wrenching. James had never been able to stomach Amelia's shrill voice, and crass manners. She was shallow and phony in the same way a mirage was. He wanted Lily more then anything in the world, and if this was what he had to do to get the girl he wanted then he would have to play dirty.

He moved his hand through Amelia's hair and rested it on the nape of her neck. He tried not to smile as he heard a glass shattering near Lily's seat.

Still angry, she ignored the house elves as they quickly removed the broken glass.

"Lils, are you okay?" Angela said looking concerned. When Lily didn't say anything or look at her, Angela followed her gaze. "Oh…"

"What do you think he sees in her?"

"Boobs," Angela said without censorship.

"I don't know, you don't think there's something more to it. Does he like bitchy girls like her?"

"Those are definitely his type, Lils."

"Well, then what was he ever doing trying to seduce me in the first place? She and I are nothing alike."

"Lily just stop worrying about it," Angela said with exasperation, "You hate him remember?"

"Yeah, I do hate him." Lily crossed her arms, and continued to stare in James' direction.


	7. Severus' Supplication

Severus Snape was furious. How could James Potter put his paws all over Lily Evans, like she was his? Ever since he had witnessed James kissing Lily after class a week ago, he had lost all composure. He was constantly on edge, and sleep was unobtainable. His nightmares of losing her kept him awake these last few nights.

He always knew that James had plans for Lily, but now that they were a reality, he was losing his grip on the situation. Sure, Lily had never admitted that she loved Snape romantically, but that didn't matter much to him. He was sure that he loved Lily more than Potter ever could. Who did he think he was? And why the hell would Lily fall for his antics?

James and his merry band of idiots had done nothing but wreak havoc on everyone's lives, especially Severus'. Every time he turned a corner they were playing pranks on fellow students and faculty. James was particularly cruel to him, once even disrobing him in front of the entire school. He couldn't look Lily in the eye for what felt like an eternity after the incident. He knew James wasn't her type, with his childish pranks and his all consuming selfishness. So why did he get the feeling that James was worming his way into her heart?

He had seen the two of them disappear down a secret passageway, one he still hadn't quite figured out how to use yet. Now he knew how the Marauders seemed to come and go unnoticed by all of the professors. He wondered just how many secret tunnels the little mob had at their disposal. He thought back to all of the times he had tried to expose them, only to turn up looking like a liar and a quack.

Still, it drove him insane not knowing what had happened between them in that tunnel. Obviously, Potter had made a move on her, that's what he did after all with any girl he came across. Snape prayed that Lily had not succumbed to him in those tunnels, but he'd never know what truly happened. Judging by her cold treatment of him lately, he supposed something had happened to make her very angry, and he could not be happier. He was still unsettled though by the attention she was still paying to Potter, even if it was icy.

A week ago Severus hadn't been worried about the kiss James had bestowed on her at first, after all he had seen her fighting him off, but now he wasn't so sure. The only comfort he had extracted from James' attempts to woe her (or ravish he should say) was Lily's complete and utter disdain for Potter. Now, he wasn't so quick to believe she hated James. He had witnessed the heated kiss exchanged between them in the library as well. He was more than discontent when he heard her moan his name aloud. He suspected Lily was fighting a mental battle with herself over her feelings for Potter.

More than ever, he was convinced that it was time to make a move, before James had her eating out the palm of his hand. Severus dreaded the thought of them together, and he could not deny James' knack for seduction. If Lily was anything like the other girls James had transgressed, Lily would be a goner in no time. Luckily, he knew she had a little more fight in her than most. Unfortunately, Severus lacked the confidence and the know-how to approach such a beautiful woman. They had known each other their entire lives, but somewhere along the way their relationship had changed.

Snape could remember their first year here at Hogwarts, how scared they had both been, for different reasons of course. Lily, who at the time, had recently learned that she was a witch, was worried about fitting in. He was also worried about fitting in with his dark ways and greasy hair; he knew he would be an outcast, a weirdo, someone people avoided, but not to her. That was something he dearly admired about her. No matter what people thought, Lily was steadfast in her morals and virtue. She always did what was right, even without the approval of others. She was pure goodness, even if she acted tough on the outside.

Though, Lily's tough act didn't always shield her from the pain inflicted by others. She was mistreated by some of the other students for her family background. Some of Snape's fellow Slytherin took it upon themselves to remind her of her mudblood heritage, Lucius Malfoy in particular. No matter what, he was always there for her, since the day they had met eight years ago. He found it hard to stand up to his peers, but when Lily needed a shoulder to cry on he was there.

Things had changed in the past few years though; they had unwittingly grown apart. When Lily came into her woman hood, he looked differently at her. He had always loved her, since they were nine, but her blossoming altered his feelings. Something about her now undid him, even intimidated him. She had grown into her own seemingly overnight. She was now a confident, smart, and beautiful woman, something he had never known how to deal with. Now he was just one of her many admirers. He knew that he would never love anyone but her, no matter what, and therefore was determined to change this fate. He would have Lily Evans; he had to, even if it meant taking James Potter out of the picture.


	8. Lily's Lamenting

Things between Lily and James hadn't gotten any better. Lily's mood continued to spiral downwards. A normal girl might have let her grades spin out of control, or allow her friendships to suffer, but Lily Evans was no normal girl. She knew that her outstanding wits were the only thing that would get her out of her dead end life. She could never return home to her sister Petunia's gloating. Her sister had seemed to find a successful job and fiancé over night, although she couldn't say she liked either, but Lily wished for her own success.

Unlike most of her peers, Lily didn't come from a long line of wizards. No one was going to hand her anything when she got out of school and into the wizarding world. Nepotism wasn't in her future; instead she would have to ford her own way.

If anything, her focus on school provided a vast distraction from the Potter debacle. Yet, her mind would wander back to him in the most inconvenient fashion. Something about him had changed this past week. Even when James had the nerve to pursue her friends in the past, she could tell that it was all to get to her. This time was different. He was acting as if she didn't even exist anymore, like none of it had ever happened. It infuriated her.

She never thought that her encounters with him would leave her feeling like this. She thought she would be happy to be rid of him once and for all, but she wasn't. She found herself questioning everything. Was it because he didn't find her attractive? Is that why he rejected her? Was it because she was a mudblood? The incident in the tunnel had her questioning everything. He hadn't even gotten into her pants. He had simply become disinterest in her.

What was worse was that she couldn't completely avoid him, or his new toy. Amelia was a bigger hussy than she could have imagined. She hadn't even noticed how many classes she shared with the girl until recently. She tried, and failed, not to notice James and Amelia slipping each other notes and giving each other heated glances all through class. James, who used to sit near Lily, had taken to sitting in the front row now so she had no choice but to watch. Even when the professor called the pair out, they would just laugh and continue their distracting behavior.

Lily had taken to being outside more often, since it reduced the chance of seeing James. The castle seemed like a booby trap, where she was bound to run into Potter or something that reminded her of him. She studied by the lake now, and tried to draw peace from it.

She used to come this spot often when she was a first and second year, or whenever she felt upset throughout the years. It was one of those safe places where she could relax and really be who she was. She used to sit here with Severus sometimes, and they would discuss their problems or adventures. It felt like forever since she had seen him. Her life was so busy as Gryffindor's head girl, so much responsibility kept her from certain aspects of her younger years. But today, she had the time. She didn't expect Severus to show up, but she could certainly hope.

A huge smile crossed her face when she saw a tall gangly figure walking towards her. Severus. He looked please to see her sitting there.

"Lily! I haven't seen you here in ages." One of his rare smiles appeared.

"Severus! It's been much too long. How are you?" She stood up and hugged him before he had the chance to answer.

"Better, now that you're here."

"I'm sorry I haven't had much time for you lately."

"It's fine, I know you have a very busy life." He didn't sound upset, but Lily still felt a pang of guilt.

"That's no excuse. I miss my friend. I miss being able to tell you anything."

"You still can, Lily. Here," he said motioning to the ground, "let's sit and have a chat." She sat next to him and took his hands in hers. "How is everything? You rarely come here anymore unless something is really on your mind. You're not about to have a meltdown from all that Head Girl work are you?"

"Not exactly," she said looking down with a frown.

"Well it looks as if something is bothering you. Come, Lils, you can tell me," he said waiting for her to look up at him.

"It's Potter. He's completely gone and messed with my head."

"What do you mean?" he said curiously.

"I mean, I think he's done a number on me. I thought I didn't care, but I just feel so upset all the time now."

"What happened between you two?"

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing. I don't think I want to go through with the whole story, but let's just say that I finally threw myself at him and he rejected me."

Snape's eyes went wide before his face contorted into a concealed mask before Lily looked up at him. She let a tear slip down her cheek. He slowly cupped her face with his hand and brushed the tear away.

"Listen to me, Lily. You are an amazing woman. You're pretty and brilliant, and if Potter doesn't see that, then he certainly doesn't deserve your affections."

"Your right. I don't know why I'm even wasting my breath on such a creep. He just wanted to get under my robes. He doesn't care about me."

"No, he doesn't…" Before he could say anymore, Lily threw her arms around his neck.

"Thanks Severus, your such a good friend to me. I don't deserve you." Lily had always trusted him. He was one of the only people she could let her guard down with. The headstrong and accomplished girl everyone saw around school had a soft side too.

"I'll always be here for you, Lily," he said rubbing her back.

"Do you mind if I lie on you, they way we used to when we were kids?"

"Not at all, dear. Rest away."

She leaned back on his chest, and felt the cool grass under her. She stared at the afternoon sunlight through the branches, and slowly but surely, drifted into a peaceful slumber. She missed the strange look covering Severus' face as she dozed off.


	9. James' Jealousy

James was beginning to question his own plans concerning Lily. He wasn't quite sure that his strategy was even working. She had become more withdrawn and seemed to avoid him more than ever. He thought he might take it as a sign that she was really bothered by his behavior, which was his intention. He hoped to drive Lily mad with jealousy until she finally admitted to him that she had feelings for him. He should be glad that Lily was reacting to his plot, yet he felt anguish instead.

He was testing his own self-restraint to its very limit. He had never completely cut off all communication with her before. Even though it was hard to do, he reminded himself of what the fruit would be for his efforts. He'd rather cause himself a little bit of pain now if it meant ultimately winning Lily's heart.

He had done almost everything he could think of up to this point to obtain her affections. Seducing her friends had clearly backfired, since Lily saw right through his intentions. Telling her the truth was no good since his reputation made him appear as a wolf in sheep's clothing. So he had finally devised a seemingly fool proof plan. Push Lily into a jealous rage until she finally confessed what he wanted to hear by seducing a girl who was the complete opposite of Lily.

And boy was Amelia the furthest thing from Lily. She was a bit of an airhead to put it lightly. She used her enormous breasts at an attempt to distract him from these facts, but he wasn't clueless. He went with it though knowing it would work towards his advantage. Without prompt, Amelia would throw herself all over him whenever Lily was around in the most transparent manner. He supposed that she had heard things and maybe felt a little threatened by Lily's presence. It made his plan all the more easy and authentic looking.

Unfortunately, this scheme seemed to be taking too long in his opinion, but he didn't have time to dwell on it at the moment; he was late for breakfast. He hoped he might get a private word with Sirius this morning, without Amelia hanging on to his every word as she had become accustomed to. It was hard for him to discuss his plans or what vital facts Sirius might have learned with her around. He suspected that Amelia might have a major jealousy issue, something that might have turned him off if he had been genuinely interested in her in the first place. She was great for business, and bad for pleasure.

As he arrived in the Great Hall, he searched down the Gryffindor table for Sirius, whom he spotted immediately. Only Peter and Lupin accompanied him as far as he could tell. He was suddenly relieved to realize that Amelia was nowhere in sight. Sirius waved to him and cleared a seat as he approached the table.

"Well, look what the cat drug in," Sirius chuckled, "come, sit. You'll be relieved to know that you missed your little girlfriend this morning."

James thought of Lily for a moment, but then realized by the phrasing that he must have meant, Amelia. That would have been disappointing had it been Lily.

"Thank god. I need a break from that twat." Sirius, Peter, and Lupin couldn't hold back their laughter. "I'm glad this is so amusing to all of you."

"Trouble in paradise already?" Sirius chuckled. He was fully aware of James' feelings towards Amelia. "Hey, it could be worse, at least she's got giant knockers."

"Yeah, well she's getting on my nerves, giant knockers or not."

"I'll be happy to take them off your hands, James." The boys all laughed again.

"As soon as I'm done winning over Lily Evans, she's all yours." That got James to thinking about Sirius' current love situation. He didn't know if the knockers comment was a joke or not. A few weeks ago, he knew it wouldn't have been a joke, but Sirius seemed to be acting differently every since he spent time with Angela. Knowing Sirius, he decided not to broach the subject. He would never freely discuss his feelings to anyone, even his best friends. "So, have you heard anything lately?"

"Heard anything about what?"

"About Lily?"

Sirius looked at him austerely. "Yes, I have heard a few things, and I think you better brace yourself, chap."

This wasn't the sort of thing James had been hoping to hear from his dear friend. "What have you heard?" The panic in his voice was tangible.

"Well, I've heard some things lately."

"Things? Like what?"

"Well, I heard that Lily was spotted yesterday, canoodling with none other than, Severus Snape."

"Canoodling, what exactly does that mean?"

"That means that, I saw them lying in each others arms under one of the willow trees yesterday."

This gave James pause. "Do you think they're…No, no way. She would never go for a loser like Snape." Even as he said the words, he had doubts.

"I don't know, James. They used to be really close when they first arrived here if you remember. Isn't it possible that with all of these things going on lately that she might seek his comfort?"

"I don't know. Maybe?" James fell silent. He was having doubts now about his entire plan. The thought of Lily being with a boy like Snape made him feel angry and helpless. He knew that if he tried to outright fight him or publically embarrass him, Lily would not be impressed. She was too mature for that kind of behavior. He was unfamiliar with this new feeling, jealousy, and it did not bode well with him. He couldn't believe he was feeling jealous of someone like Snape, gangly and weird. But it appeared that Snape had the one thing that James couldn't. If Lily was still friends with him, then James was definitely screwed, especially after the way he had treated him in the past.

"I assume you're bringing Amelia to the dance this weekend?"

"Huh?" James looked beyond confused.

"Don't tell me you forgot about the dance. Everyone's been talking about it non stop for the past two weeks."

"I uh…I've been distracted lately."

"I'll say. Well, I think this dance is the perfect opportunity for you pull something amazing off to win over Lily."

"I know you're right about that. I just wonder what?" Between trying to juggle Amelia, ignoring Lily, and this knew information about Snape, James felt like there were too many angles and questions to figure it out today. By Monday, he swore he would have Lily confessing her feelings to him. Something had to happen, and it had to happen shortly.


	10. Dalliances at the Dress Shop

"What do you think of this one, Angie?" Lily swayed in front of a full-length mirror trimmed in gold. The dress was long, sleek and elegant; it was the perfect shade of red to accentuate the creamy tone of her skin.

"Wow, Lily. You look so amazing in that dress. That's the one."

"You think? Oh, I'm so excited. I can't wait for the dance."

"Speaking of which, did you decide who you're going with?" Angela said mildly before taking a sip of her butter beer.

"Well...I was thinking…um…I think it would be best for me to go with Severus this year." Lily cringed the second the words escaped her mouth. She didn't have to look at her best friend to know how she would react to this news. She hadn't told Angela anything about the whole seeking-comfort-in-his-arms-under-a-tree thing, and she was feeling terribly culpable over it.

Nervously, Lily tried not to laugh as Angela failed horribly at containing the contents of her mouth inside. "Excuse me. I thought I heard you say you were going to the dance with Snape." She smiled at Lily searching her face for some semblance of a joke that might be hidden there.

"I did say, Snape." Lily stared hard at the beaded details of the gown she had wrenched in her hands, avoiding the incredulous stare emanating from her closest friend.

"You've got to be kidding. Lily, that is social suicide."

"I think you have to have a social life to kill it."

Angela rolled her eyes at Lily's blithe attempt to brush off the truth. "You know you could take any guy in this school to this dance if you wanted to, so why the hell are you going with him? I know you guys used to be really good friends, but that was years ago."

"I don't know. He's just so sweet. I actually ran into him the other day, and we sort of just picked up right where we left off. I'd rather go with someone who really knows me. I haven't felt like myself lately, and I don't have to pretend to be manically happy in front of him. I need someone to distract me, and that takes a certain amount of intellect."

"I can distract you," Angela said with a smile, and Lily returned it with her own grin. She really couldn't ask for a better friend. Aside from Severus, she was the only other person who truly knew who Lily was, her flaws, likes, moods, sense of humor etc.

"I know you mean well, but you've got a date, and I want you to have an amazing night. I can't believe you're going with, Sirius. I knew you guys would end up together!"

"Whoa now, let's not jump the gun here. It's just a dance."

"Oh come on, I know you like him."

"I do not."

"Really? Is that why you've been smiling ever since he asked you to go with him?"

"I'll have you know I've been smiling the regular amount lately."

Lily burst out laughing. "Sure you have."

"Okay, I might like him slightly, but he's the biggest player in this school."

"No, I think you've got him mixed up with a different spectacle wearing jackass."

Angela let out an exhausted sigh. "James is nutty for you, Lily, and Sirius wouldn't know what monogamy was if it slapped him across the face repeatedly. He actually does get slapped almost daily for his dalliances with the loose girls of this school," she said sighing once more, "I don't have any hope for a romance with him, but hey, I can have fun right?"

"Of course you can!"

Lily suspected that Sirius had a fixation on Angela, and his behavior reflected that. He was no longer interested in chasing women or having them pursue him. It appeared that anytime Lily saw him, he was deep in contemplation. She had caught him sitting away from Angela yet staring intently at her. Angela hadn't noticed any of this. If Lily had to guess she'd say that the love bug, unwillingly, had bitten Sirius. He visibly struggled with his emotions, not wanting to feel anything yet unable to stop the flood of sensations. She could only imagine how he must of felt asking Angie to the dance. Sirius never had a date to anything, especially school related. With the dance drawing near he had retreated away somewhere alone. In fact, James, Lupin, and Peter had gone rogue the last day and a half, causing some mischief no doubt. If they'd all disappeared then there was no cause for Sirius' absence.

She was secretly rooting for them to be together, but in the same breath she struggled with the idea of someone James was so close with being so tightly bonded with someone she was so attached to. That would mean being in close proximity to Potter and his little harlot. As much as the idea of that vexed her, she knew that Angela's happiness should come over her petty feelings surrounding James.

She was determined to be happy in spite of all of the drama surrounding her and James, and Lily would be damned if she was going to show up to the dance alone. Sure it would start with her missing a dance, and before she could blink she'd be and old witch with only a room full of black cats for company. Apparently, the title of crazy cat lady was not restricted to the muggle world.

It had been near impossible to get James off of her mind lately. Talking to Severus, constant studying, and duties as head girl kept her mind busy during the day, but at night her dreams lent her no peace. She dreamt of James and a child; it felt so real. Something else was happening in her dreams; she was dying. Flashes of green light in her mind made her shake awake. There was an overwhelming feeling of dread on such nights. She couldn't help but feel like something was coming for her.

She had read in the papers that there was a growing movement against her kind, half-breeds that is. Surely people would come to reason, she thought. Surely if she was smart enough, or accomplished enough no harm should befit her. The school had worked hard to keep such rumors well hidden, but Lily was resourceful. She thought she had a right to know if her life or her parents' lives were at stake. Many of her peers weren't concerned with such matters, as most of them came from a pure background—generations upon generations of magic flowing through their veins. Many of her classmates surmised upon her entrance to Hogwarts, from her obliviousness to basic skills and common knowledge in the wizarding world, that she must have been muggle born.

When she walked down the halls of the school, people stared uncouthly clearly lacking the tact she was brought up with in her muggle household. She was no longer sure if it was contributed to the shenanigans between her and Potter or the growing animosity towards muggle born witches and wizards. Either way, it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable and did nothing to quell her night terrors. She confided a little of this in Snape, who did his best to reassure her. No one made her feel more like she belonged here in this world than he did. There was no need to put on airs with him. Something about it was just…right.

"Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you ready to get out of here? I'm starving. I think I'm going to get the lavender one, and if you don't get that red dress then I'm getting it for you because you look amazing in it!"

"Oh don't worry, I'm getting it."

"Good. Now let's get out of here and stuff our faces with no remorse."

"Please, you and I can put professional quidditch player's appetites to shame."

"Don't I know it. That's my favorite thing about the great hall. It just keeps coming."

They both burst out in hearty laughs as they paid for the gowns and exited the shop.


	11. Decisions at the Dance

The night of the dance had finally arrived, and the school buzzed with unadulterated joy. Laughter and shouting permeated the girls' dormitory. Inside, things were more boisterous than anyone could have guessed. Girls moved quickly in and out of chambers, giving twirls, and running to the next room just as fast as they entered.

Lily stared somberly at her reflection as Angela entered the room. The serious look on her face was replaced quickly with a smirk that Angela knew well. Both of them looked ravishing in their floor length gowns dripped head to toe in fine looking jewels.

"We look like a couple of old biddies, don't we?" Angela said.

"I do feel quite old in this gown, a bit like my mother actually…" Lily looked somber again, "Angie?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you realize this is going to be our last dance at Hogwarts?" The girls shared a wistful look, grasping the words that hung in the air. Nostalgia clung to them as tightly as their new ball gowns.

"Well then, we better go out in style, Lils. Let's make this a night to remember."

"Let's."

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, just a second, let me put my other earring in," Lily said giving herself another once over, "Okay, I'm ready." She walked towards her best friend and grabbed her hand as they descended the stairs. There were a few boys here and there in the common room, but for the most part, more girls stood around anxiously wringing their hands. As far as Lily could tell, the boys had all migrated to the Great Hall where the dance would be held.

Lily felt eager to see the transformation of the Great Hall into something a little more magical. As they left the common room, the change in atmosphere permeated the castle. The usually well-lit walls and staircases were replaced with dimness and a pale blue light originating from an unknown source.

As they entered the great hall, Lily felt moved by the renovation. A light fog kissed the ground with a mirth-like effervescence. The hall looked almost barren with the removal of the tables. Although sturdy wooden chairs were strewn about the room, most of the students appeared to be awkwardly standing. A soft and calming melody drifted to Lily's adorned ears. Stiffness pervaded the hall as nervous eyes frantically perused the threshold for their dates. As Lily spotted Severus she beckoned him towards her with a slender hand and he sauntered over. He was dressed handsomely, Lily thought. His hair was slicked back out of his face and a lively red flower adorned the pocket of his black dress robes, the perfect complement to her crimson dress, she thought.

Something about Snape appeared altered. Had he trimmed his hair? Maybe it was the dapper dress robes? Surely it was just the attire making him appear differently. She felt bothered that she could not immediately figure it out, and then she realized what was so different about him. He was actually happy. Her heart warmed as she recognized Severus' jovial appearance, something she hadn't seen in years. He offered his elbow to her and she placed hers through it, then steered her further into the room.

Angela had been enveloped into a group of dateless girls, awaiting the arrival of Sirius. This alleviated Lily from the worry of James Potter, at least momentarily.

"Hello," Severus said, kissing her hand lightly, "You look wonderful."

"Me? How about you? Your robe looks impeccable!" It wasn't just the robe, but she didn't want to come off too strong. She wasn't quite sure where this newfound friendship was going yet with Severus and she didn't want to regret anything.

Just then, James entered the hall, looking more devastating than ever before. Whether or not he meant too, he was silently commanding the attention of the room. Jealousy and desire permeated the hall at different levels.

Severus let a sharp hiss escape his lips. He seemed to deflate the instant Lily's gaze was diverted to James' dashing figure. It was just like Potter to ruin a perfectly good night for him. James could have any girl in this entire school, and yet he couldn't release Lily Evans. Severus had had more than he could tolerate of his gallivanting around school with his precious marauders, philandering here and there. He was finally getting his friend back with the potential for something greater, and he'd do anything to hold onto that.

Lily quickly turned back to Severus with her full attention, ready to ignore Potter and his flamboyant entrance.

James felt nervous as he scanned the crowd for Lily. His date didn't hesitate to run up to him, to his dismay. Amelia looked great which he supposed might still work to his benefit. One thing he had learned early on about women is that they nearly always became jealous of one another, especially when it came to dating. Even though she hadn't bitten yet, he suspected that Lily might be on the verge of breaking down, if only because of her icy demeanor. If she truly didn't care, she wouldn't go through such lengths to ignore him, at least that's what he told himself, more and more frequently these days. Finally, he spotted her near the refreshment table. He inhaled sharply.

"My God, that dress," he whispered to himself.

Her gorgeous pale skin was burned into his memory now. Something about the red made her look bone crushingly lovely. It was rare for him to see her out of her bulky black robes and in something so feminine. Her hair cascaded down her neck, back and shoulders in fiery tendrils. That smile…it had been far too long since he'd witnessed her beautiful smile or heard her laugh fill a room.

James abruptly felt his throat close as he realized Severus towed her. He wanted so desperately to write them off as just friends, but something about their body language made him skeptical and uneasy. James never thought in a million years that he would feel threatened by Severus Snape. Snape! The greasy haired punk who spent all day buried in his potion books. He had seen him upside down in his underwear for god's sake. Could it be that she had finally given him a chance? James' plan wasn't quite going the way he'd hoped and his frazzled nerves began showing through immediately. He was loosing his collected façade faster than he could get away from Amelia.

"James!" an annoying voice said breaking his thoughts. He wasn't sure at this point if he was more irked by the sound of her voice or the way she thrust her breasts at him constantly.

"What, Amelia?"

"I said I want to dance!"

"The music is too slow and no one else is dancing yet," he said, dismissing her quickly.

Amelia crossed her arms haughtily in what was sure to be the onset of a full-scale temper tantrum. Being unprepared to deal with such a childish reaction, he quickly took her hand and led her out on the dance floor. Seeing an opportunity to start, the band began playing a sweet little waltz. They had the attention of most of the students who still stood around the hall shyly with their arms crossed.

Eventually another couple joined the dance floor, to James' relief. The area reluctantly filled out more and more until nearly everyone was moving. Just when things were getting comfortable, Amelia decided to take a brake and asked James to retrieve a beverage for her. He had the distinct feeling that she was trying to lead him away from something. He wondered how much she knew about his history with Lily Evans. She wasn't a bright girl, but maybe one of her slightly smarter friends finally spelled it out for her. This thought was equally irksome and appealing. It would save a lot of time with the inevitable public breakup, but it wouldn't work very well with his plans of making Lily jealous tonight.

As he went to retrieve a drink, he searched once more for Lily. Her red dress wasn't hard to spot pressed so close to Snape's dull black dress robes. Her hand rested on his forearm and they enjoyed a few drinks and chuckles with one another. It appeared worse than he expected. He wanted to run right over there and sweep Lily off her feet in some grand gesture, but he was sure any attempt at such would be ill received and would more than likely end with him covered in whatever delicate beverage she happened to be consuming. Running through the options in his head fervently, he wondered if he could send Snape on a wild goose chase or maybe wait until Lily went to the toilettes to try and make a move.

What would Amelia think about all of this? Surely she'd cause some sort of fiascotic scene that he wasn't prepared to deal with tonight, or in the mood for, for that matter. It didn't take long for him to tire of her, and tonight was no exception. He had come to find out that Amelia liked to have things her way, all the time. She was selfish, unintelligent, and rude to boot. When he first met her he had noticed her large bosom and hoped to make Lily jealous with her voluptuous figure. The longer he knew her, the more ugly the girl appeared. No amount of physical beauty could salvage a personality as shallow and short tempered as hers. Nonetheless, something had to be done. He was tired of acting patient, patient for Lily to come around and patient with Amelia's disgusting life attitude. Yes, something had to be done alright and tonight was the night.


End file.
